HomeMy WebLinkAboutRESO 9766DocuSign Envelope ID: BFB7888E-58A6-4268-8C1D-BD2COBDEE169
Resolution No. 9766
Resolution of the Council of the City of Palo Alto Approving the Fiscal
Year 2019 Wastewater Collection Utility Financial Plan
RECITALS
A. Each year the City of Palo Alto ("City") assesses the financial position of its
utilities with the goal of ensuring adequate revenue to fund operations. This includes making
long-term projections of market conditions, the physical condition of the system, and other
factors that could affect utility costs, and setting rates adequate to recover these costs. It does
this with the goal of providing safe, reliable, and sustainable utility services at competitive
rates. The City adopts Financial Plans to summarize these projections.
B. The City uses reserves to protect against contingencies and to manage other
aspects of its operations, and regularly assesses the adequacy of these reserves and the
management practices governing their operation. The status of utility reserves and their
management practices are included in Reserves Management Practices attached to and made a
part of the Financial Plans.
The Council of the City of Palo Alto does hereby RESOLVE as follows:
SECTION 1. The Council hereby approves the FY 2019 Wastewater Utility Financial
Plan.
SECTION 2. The Council hereby approves the transfer of $342,000in FY 2019 from the
Rate Stabilization Reserve to the Operations Reserve, as described in the FY 2019 Wastewater
Utility Financial Plan approved via this resolution.
SECTION 3. The Council finds that the adoption of this resolution does not meet the
California Environmental Quality Act's definition of a project under Public Resources Code
Section 21065 and CEQA Guidelines Section 15378(b)(S), because it is an administrative
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FY 2019 WASTEWATER
COLLECTION ·UTILITY
FINANCIAL PLAN
FY 2019 TO FY 2028
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WASTEWATER COLLECTION UTILITY FINANCIAL PLAN
FY 2019 WASTEWATER COLLECTION
UTILITY FINANCIAL PLAN
FY 2019 TO FY 2028
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Section 1: Definitions and Abbreviations ................................................................................ 4
Section 2: Executive Summary and Recommendations ........................................................... 4
Section 2A: Overview of Financial Position .................................................................................. 4
Section 28: Summary of Proposed Actions .................................................................................. 5
Section 3: Detail of FY 2018 Rate and Reserves Proposals ....................................................... 6
Section 3A: Rate Design ............................................................................................................... 6
Section 38: Current and Proposed Rates ..................................................................................... 6
Section 3C: Bill Impact of Proposed Changes .............................................................................. 7
Section 3D: Proposed Reserve Transfers ..................................................................................... 7
Section 4: Utility Overview .................................................................................................... 8
Section 4A: Wastewater Utility History ....................................................................................... 8
Section 48: Customer base .......................................................................................................... 9
Section 4C: Collection System ...................................................................................................... 9
Section 4D: Cost Structure and Revenue Sources ...................................................................... 10
Section 4E: Reserves Structure ................................................................................................... 10
Section 4F: Competitiveness ...................................................................................................... 11
Section 5: Utility Financial Projections ................................................................................. 12
Section SA: FY 2013 to FY 2017 Cost and Revenue Trends ........................................................ 12
Section SB: FY 2017 Results ....................................................................................................... 13
Section SC: FY 2018 Projections ................................................................................................. 13
Section SD: FY 2019-FY 2028 Projections ................................................................................ 13
Section SE: Risk Assessment and Reserves Adequacy ............................................................... 1S
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Section SF: Alternate Scenarios ................................................................................................. 16
Section SG: Long-Term Outlook ................................................................................................. 18
Section 6: Details and Assumptions ..................................................................................... 18
Section 6A: Wastewater Treatment Costs ................................................................................. 18
Section 68: Operations .............................................................................................................. 19
Section 6C: Capital Improvement Program {CIP) ....................................................................... 19
Section 6D: Debt Service ............................................................................................................ 21
Section 6£: Other Revenues ....................................................................................................... 23
Section 7: Communications Plan .......................................................................................... 23
Appendices ......................................................................................................................... 24
Appendix A: Wastewater Collection Financial Forecast Detail .................................................. 25
Appendix B: Wastewater Collection Utility Capital Improvement Program {CIP) Detail .......... 27
Appendix C: Wastewater Collection Utility Reserves Management Practices .......................... 28
Appendix D: Map {CPA Wastewater Collection System -Sewer Mains Replaced or
Rehabilitated since 1990) .......................................................................................................... 31
Appendix E: Sample of Wastewater Collection Outreach Materials ......................................... 32
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SECTION 1: DEFINITIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS
CCF
CIP
CPAU
FOG
O&M
RWQCP
UAC
The standard unit of measurement for water delivered to water customers, equal to
one hundred cubic feet, or roughly 748 gallons. When water usage is used to assess
wastewater charges for commercial customers, it is measured in CCF.
Capital Improvement Program
City of Palo Alto Utilities Department
Fats, oils, and grease. When flushed into the sewer system, these materials
accumulate in parts of the sewer system and create blockages.
Operations and Maintenance
Regional Water Quality Control Plant, the wastewater treatment plant owned and
operated by the City of Palo Alto that serves Palo Alto and several surrounding
communities.
Utilities Advisory Commission
SECTION 2: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS
This document presents a Financial Plan for the City of Palo Alto's Wastewater Collection Utility
for the. next ten years. The Financial Plan provides revenues to cover the costs of operating the
utility safely over that time while adequately investing for the future. It also addresses the
financial risks facing the utility over the short term and long term, and includes measures to
mitigate and manage those risks.
SECTION 2A: OVERVIEW OF FINANCIAL POSITION
Overall costs in the Wastewater Collection Utility are expected to rise by an average of
approximately 6.9% per year from fiscal year (FY) 2018 to FY 2028. Wastewater treatment costs
are projected to rise by an average of approximately 6.6% annually and collection system CIP
costs are projected to rise substantially by FY 2019 as new sewer main replacement projects
begin. While CPAU aims to complete one main replacement project each year, no project was
budgeted for FY 2017 and FY 2018 to allow staff to complete previous year projects that had
been delayed. After FY 2019, staff project CIP costs to rise at approximately 1.5% annually
through the projection period. Table 1 below shows the costs for the Wastewater Collection
Utility.
Table 1: Expenses for FY 2017 to FY 2028
Expenses FY FY FY FY FY FY FY FY FY FY FY FY
($000) 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028
(~ct.) (est.)
Treatment 8,391 10,418 10,798 11,846 12,888 13,571 14,005 14,692 15,676 16,083 16,453 16,914
Costs
Operations 5,536 5,923 6,086 6,270 6,455 6,629 6,803 6,828 6,979 7,143 7,250 7,407
Capital 1,332 2,955 6,629 5,936 6,133 6,296 6,486 . 6,681 6,882 7,088 7,302 7,521
Projects
TOTAL 15,258 19,296 23,513 24,051 25,476 26,497 27,294 28,201 29,536 30,315 31,005 31,842
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The increase in CIP expenses also reflects higher contract bid prices for underground
construction. Going forward, to ensure that revenues cover rising costs and reserves remain
healthy, the financial plan includes the proposed and projected rate changes shown in Table 2.
The table also shows rate projections from last year's Financial Plan. Last year's plan projected
lower increases through FY 2028 because of lower treatment cost projections and lower capital
budget estimates.
Staff originally proposed a 10% rate increase for FY 2019 at the March 7, 2018 UAC meeting.
The UAC voted instead to recommend an 11% increase (Alternative Scenario 1 from the FY
2019 Wastewater Financial Plan to the UAC, Section SF: Alternate Scenarios), and Staff
concurred with the recommendation. This financial plan has been revised to reflect the 11%
proposal.
Table 2: Proposed / Projected Wastewater Collection Rate Trajectory for FY 2019 to FY 2028
FY FY FY FY FY FY FY FY FY FY
2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028
Current Plan 11% 12% 10% 6% 4% 3% 3% 3% 3% 1%
FY 2018 Plan 7% 7% 7% 7% 7% 5% 5% 4% 3% N/A
The Wastewater Collection Utility has a small balance in its Rate Stabilization Reserve. This
reserve is used to phase in rate increases over multiple years to reduce rate impacts to
customers. The FY 2018 Financial Plan projected a transfer from the Rate Stabilization Reserve
would not be needed until 2020. However, this Financial Plan anticipates that transfer in FY
2019. The Operations Reserve was above its target level in FY 2017, but will decline in FY 2019
through 2021, going below the minimum guideline levels in FY 2020 and going back above the
reserve minimum in FY 2023 (see more detail in Figure S).
Table 3: Transfers To/(From) Reserves for FY 2018 to FY 2028 ($000)
Reserve FY 2018 FY 2019 FY 2020 to FY 2028
CIP Reserve --(978)
Rate Stabilization -(342) -
Operations -342 978
Unassigned ---
SECTION 28: SUMMARY OF PROPOSED ACTIONS
Staff proposes the following actions for the Wastewater Collection Utility in FY 2019:
1. Increase rates by 11%, primarily reflecting increases to capital expenditures. This is
described in more detail in Section 38: Current and Proposed Rates.
2. Transfer $342,000 from the Rate Stabilization Reserve to the Operations Reserve in FY
2019.
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SECTION 3: DETAIL OF FY 2018 RATE AND RESERVES PROPOSALS
SECTION 3A: RATE DESIGN
The Wastewater Collection Utility's rates are evaluated and implemented in compliance with
the cost of service requirements and procedural rules set forth in the California Constitution
(Proposition 218). Current rates were structured based on staff's annual assessment of the
wastewater utility's financial position, as well as the methodology from the January 2011
Wastewater Collection Utility Cost of Service & Rate Study completed by Utility Financial
Solutions (Staff Report 1399). Staff plans to review and update this cost of service study in FY
2019. Before conducting any new cost of service study, staff will review current rates and the
scope of the study with the Utilities Advisory Commission (UAC) and Council to determine the
City's policy priorities.
SECTION 3B: CURRENT AND PROPOSED RATES
The current rates were adopted July 1, 2016, when the City increased sewer rates by 9%.
CPAU has three sewer rate schedules: one for residents (S-1), one for commercial customers
(S-2), and a special schedule for restaurants (S-6), which discharge higher than average amounts
of grease and oil and, therefore, have a greater impact on the sewer system. Residential
customers are billed a monthly service charge, while commercial customers are billed based on
their winter month water usage (previous January through March). This closely approximates
non-irrigation water consumption, which represents actual sewer use. Restaurant customers are
billed monthly based on water usage. CPAU also maintains a rate schedule for industrial
dischargers (S-7), but there are currently no customers required to be on this rate schedule.
CPAU proposes an 11% rate increase in FY 2019 in order to fund upcoming capital projects and
operations costs. Table 4, below, summarizes the current and proposed rates for all customer
classes. Section 4F: Competitiveness discusses comparisons with neighboring communities.
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Table 4: Current Sewer Rates
Current Proposed
(as of 7 /1/2016) (effective 7 /1/2018
Monthly Service and Minimum Charges ($/month)
S-1 (Residential) Service charge $34.83 $38.66
S-2 (Commercial), Minimum 34.83 38.66
S-6 (Restaurant)
Quantity Rates: based on winter water usage (average
for January -March bill period)
S-2 (Commercial) $/CCF 6.71 7.45
S-6 (Restaurant) $/CCF 10.38 11.52
S-7 (Industrial) $/CCF 3.08 3.42
SECTION 3C : BILL IMPACT OF PROPOSED CHANGES
Table 5 below shows the impact of the proposed July 1, 2018 rate changes:
Table 5: Impact of Proposed Sewer Changes
Current Proposed Change II
(as of (effective
7/1/2016) 7/1/20!8) $/mo. %
Residential $34.83 $38.66 $3.83 11%
General Commercial (14 93.94 104.30 10.36 11%
CCF)
Restaurant (56 CCF) 581.28 645.12 63.84 11%
SECTION 3C: PROPOSED RESERVE TRANSFERS
In the FY 2017 Financial Plan, staff recommended a $1.95 million transfer from the Rate
Stabilization Reserve in FY 2016. This left a small amount, $342,000, which was originally to be
transferred in FY 2017 to bring the Rate Stabilization Reserve balance to zero.
However, because new main replacement projects were deferred in FY 2017 and FY 2018,
resulting in one-time cost savings, the Operation Reserve ended above the maximum guideline
level, and the transfer was not needed. Staff anticipates it will need to transfer the remaining
$342,000 in FY 2019. In addition, staff will propose transferring the remaining $978,000 from
the CIP Reserve to the Operation Reserve in FY 2020.
These transfers are included in the financial projections in this Financial Plan, and will enable
CPAU to maintain adequate Operations Reserve levels while moderating the pace of increase in
Wastewater Collection rates. Appendix A: Wastewater Collection Financial Forecast Detail
shows. the impact of these transfers on reserves levels.
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SECTION 4: UTILITY OVERVIEW
This section provides an overview of the utility and its operations. It is intended as general
background information and to help readers better understand the forecasts in later sections.
SECTION 4A: WASTEWATER UTILITY HISTORY
The Wastewater Utility commenced operation in 1899 to serve Palo Alto and Stanford. In its
first three decades the system grew to 60 miles of sewers. Raw sewage was discharged into
Mayfield Slough at the edge of the Bay. In the 1930s, at the behest of the State Department of
Health, Palo Alto built the South Bay's first wastewater treatment plant. At that time the sewer
system served 20,500 Stanford and Palo Alto residents and a cannery. The plant was upgraded
twice in the 1940s and 1950s to increase capacity.1 At the same time, the postwar population
and industrial boom in the 1950s required rapid expansion of the sewer system. In the first half
of the 1960s Palo Alto's area doubled, as did wastewater flows, overwhelming the capacity of
several of the utility's "trunk lines," which are the largest diameter main sewer lines carrying
wastewater to the treatment plant. This prompted the City, in 1965, to perform the first of its
sewer master plans to identify needed capacity improvements. At that point the Wastewater
Utility's system comprised more than 150 miles of sewer mains. 2
In 1968 the City signed agreements with the Cities of Mountain View and Los Altos to build a
new regional treatment plant, the RWQCP, which is still in operation today. Since 1940 the City
had been providing treatment services to the East Palo Alto Sanitary District through an existing
agreement, and was also serving Stanford University by transporting wastewater across the
City's sewer system to the treatment plant. Both of these organizations became partners in the
RWQCP as v.(ell. At the same time the Town of Los Altos Hills became the sixth partner as it
signed an agreement with the City to connect the Town's sewer system to the City's sewer
system to carry wastewater to the new RWQCP. The current agreements for the RWQCP
extend through 2035. 3
In the 1980s the City directed increased attention to the condition of its sewer system,
performing a series of studies of groundwater inflow and infiltration into the system. The
studies found high rates of infiltration, estimating that as much as 40% of the water going to
the RWQCP from Palo Alto's system was groundwater and stormwater rather than
wastewater.4 In some parts of Palo Alto the land surface had subsided due to groundwater
pumping by the water utility, and though that practice had ceased many years earlier as the
water utility switched to the Hetch Hetchy Regional Water System, parts of the city had already
subsided two to five feet. This subsidence had damaged several parts of the sewer collection
system, leading to reduced slopes for sewer mains that caused reductions in capacity. In
1 Long Range Facilities Plan for the Regional Water Quality Control Plant, August 2012, Carollo Engineers, pp 2-1
through 2-2
2 Wastewater Collection and Storm Drainage, 1965, Brown and Caldwell Consulting Engineers, pp 4, 6-7, 143
3 Long Range Facilities Plan for the Regional Water Quality Control Plant, August 2012, Carollo Engineers, pg 2-2
4 Wastewater Collection System Master Plan -Capacity Assessment, January 2004, MWH Americas, Inc., pg ES-2
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response to these studies the City commenced an accelerated sewer system rehabilitation
program.5 At that point the sewer system comprised over 190 miles of mains.6
A Master Plan study in 1988 recommended a variety of capacity expansions, and in the 1990s
the City completed about half of them. However, a 2004 Master Plan update found that the
accelerated sewer rehabilitation plan started in the early 1990s had substantially reduced
infiltration, easing the capacity problems that had led the to the recommended capacity
increases in the 1988 study. Several of the outstanding projects were canceled and replaced
with a different set of projects.7 At the same time the City updated its hydraulic model and
developed greater capacity to do system planning in house.
SECTION 48: CUSTOMER BASE
The City of Palo Alto's Wastewater Collection Utility provides sewer service to the residents and
businesses of Palo Alto. It is distinct from the Wastewater Treatment Utility, which provides
treatment services for surrounding communities in addition to Palo Alto. Nearly 22,500
customers are connected to the sewer system, approximately 20,650 (92%) of which are
residential and 1,850 (8%) of which are non-residential. Residential customers pay a flat fee for
service. Non-residential customers are billed for sewer service based on their metered winter
water usage. There is relatively little variability in revenues for this utility.
SECTION 4C: COLLECTION SYSTEM
The Wastewater Collection Utility delivers all the wastewater it collects to the Regional Water
Quality Control Plant (RWQCP) operated by the City of Palo Alto under a partnership agreement
with several surrounding communities. Palo Alto is responsible for 35% to 40% of the
wastewater sent to the RWQCP. This Financial Plan does not describe the cost of running the
RWQCP in detail as this cost is contained in the Wastewater Treatment Utility; however since
these costs are a major driver of CPAU's sewer rates, Section 6A: Wastewater Treatment Costs
provides some discussion of future trends in treatment costs. Treatment costs make up nearly
half of the Wastewater Collection Utility's expenses as shown in Table 1 above.
To collect wastewater from its customers and deliver it to the RWQCP, CPAU owns roughly
18,140 sewer laterals (which collect wastewater from customers' plumbing systems) and 217
miles of sewer mains (which transport the waste to the treatment plant). These laterals and
mains, along with the associated manholes and cleanouts, represent the vast majority of
infrastructure used to collect wastewater in Palo Alto. CPAU conducts a sewer rehabilitation
and replacement program to replace mains over time as they deteriorate or to increase
capacity. For more discussion of this program, see Section 6C: Capital Improvement Program
(CIP}. CIP expense accounts for roughly a quarter of the utility's expenditures.
In addition to its CIP, CPAU performs various maintenance activities on the sewer system.
These include inspecting and repairing sewer laterals, responding to sewer overflows, regularly
5 CMR 183:90, Infrastructure Review and Update, March 1, 1990
6 Master Plan of the Wastewater Collection System, December 1988, Camp Dresser & McKee, Inc., pg 1-2
7 Wastewater Collection System Master Plan -Capacity Assessment, January 2004, MWH Americas, Inc., pg ES-3
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cleaning sections of the system heavily impacted by fats, oils, and grease (FOG), and building
and replacing sewer laterals for new or redeveloped buildings. The utility also shares the costs
of other operational activities (such as customer service, billing, equipment maintenance, and
street restoration) with the City's other utilities. These maintenance and operations expenses,
as well as associated administration, debt service, rent, and other costs, make up approximately
another quarter of the utility's expenses.
SECTION 40: COST STRUCTURE AND REVENUE SOURCES
In FY 2017, treatment costs represented slightly more than half of the Wastewater Collection
Utility's costs (54%), and Operations costs represented nearly a third (37%), while Capital
spending was relatively low (9%). Figure 1 shows these expenditures. The utility's revenue in FY
2017, shown in Figure 2, came primarily from sewer charges (92%), with the remainder coming
mainly from capacity and connection fees and other sources (8%).
Figure 1: Cost Structure (FY 2017)
•Treatment
• Operations
•Capita l
SECTION 4E: RESERVES STRUCTURE
Figure 2: Revenue Structure (FY 2017)
•Sales Revenues •Other Revenues
CPAU maintains six reserves for its Wastewater Collection Utility to manage various types of
contingencies. Below is a summary of these reserves and Appendix C: Wastewater Collection
Utility Reserves Management Practices provides more detailed definitions and guidelines for
reserve management:
• Reserve for Commitments: A reserve equal to the utility's outstanding contract
liabilities for the current fiscal year. Most City funds, including the General Fund, have a
Commitments Reserve.
• Reserve for Reappropriations: A reserve for funds dedicated to projects reappropriated
by the City Council, nearly all of which are capital projects. Most City funds, including
the General Fund, have a Reappropriations Reserve.
• Capital Improvement Program (CIP) Reserve: The CIP reserve can be used to
accumulate funds for future expenditure on CIP projects and is anticipated to be empty
unless a major one-time CIP expenditure is expected in future years. It also acts as a
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contingency reserve for the CIP. This type of reserve is used in other utility funds
(Electric, Gas, and Water) as well.
• Rate Stabilization Reserve: This reserve is intended to be empty unless one or more
large rate increases are anticipated in the forecast period. In that case, funds can be
accumulated to spread the impact of those future rate increases across multiple years.
This type of reserve is used in other utility funds (Electric, Gas, and Water) as well.
• Operations Reserve: This is the primary contingency reserve for the Was~ewater
Collection Utility, and is used to manage yearly variances from budget for operational
costs. This type of reserve is used in other utility funds (Electric, Gas, and Water) as well.
• Unassigned Reserve: This reserve is for any funds not assigned to the other reserves
and is normally empty.
SECTION 4F: COMPETITIVENESS
Table 6 shows the monthly sewer bills for residential customers compared to what they would
be in surrounding communities. The annual sewer bill for a Palo Alto customer is $418 under
current rates, 33% lower than the average neighboring community. Palo Alto has the second
lowest bill of the group.
Table 6: Residential Monthly Equivalent Sewer Bill Comparison ($)
Neighboring Communities Neighboring
Menlo Redwood Mountain Santa Community
Palo Alto Park City View Los Altos Clara Hayward Average
34.83 89.33 76.68 37.75 36.27 41.65 31.29 52.16
Based on rates as of February 2018
Table 7 compares the sewer bills for two classes of commercial customers to what they would
be under surrounding communities' rate schedules. Note that other communities often have
specific rates for industrial customers that discharge high intensity wastewater, such as food
processors or chemical or electronics manufacturers, but Palo Alto does not currently have any
customers that require these special rates. Palo Alto is less competitive with surrounding cities
with regards to commercial sewer rates, but is not the most expensive jurisdiction in all cases.
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SECTION SB: FY 2017 RESULTS
Actual revenues for FY 2017 were lower than forecast revenues ($18.4 million actual vs. $19.0
million projected). Total FY 2017 expenses were $1S.3 million compared to projections of $17
million in the FY 2018 Financial Plan. Table 8 summarizes the variances from forecast.
Table 8: FY 2017, Actual Results vs. Financial Plan Forecast ($000) -Net Cost/ Type of
(Benefit) Change
Wastewater treatment costs lower than forecast $(1,464) Cost decrease
Sales revenues higher than forecast $(121) Revenue increase
Interest, Connection, capacity fees and other revenues $723 Revenue decrease
Operations, capital and other cost decreases $(24S) Cost decrease
Net Cost I (Benefit) of Variances $(1,108)
SECTION SC: FY 2018 PROJECTIONS
This year staff is estimating higher costs for FY 2018. Capital Improvement costs increased by
around $0.8 million for main replacement project design costs not included in last year's
projections. Another contributing factor is staff projects higher treatment costs due to
increasing capital and operations costs at the RWQCP. Additionally, actual revenues from
connection and capacity fees and interest were lower than projected in FY 2017; for this reason
staff projects less revenue from the~e sources in FY 2019. Table 9 summarizes the variances
from the prior forecast.
Table 9: FY 2018, Updated Projections vs. Financial Plan Forecast ($000)
Net Cost/ Type of
(Benefit) Change
Wastewater treatment cost increases $486 Cost increase
Higher Capital Improvement and Operations costs $1,197 Cost increase
Reduced Revenues $478 Revenue decrease
Net Cost I (Benefit) of Variances $2,162
SECTION SD: FY 2019 -FY 2028 PROJECTIONS
As shown in Figure 3 above (and, in more detail, in Appendix A: Wastewater Collection Financial
Forecast Detail), the Wastewater Collection Utility's total costs are projected to increase by
roughly S.3% per year on average for FY 2018 through FY 2028. The majority of this increase is
due to projected capital cost increases for treatment as well as collection. The treatment plant
itself is facing the need for major upgrades in coming years, due to aging equipment and
changing environmental regulations. The costs of the plant are shared among member
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agencies, with members expected to see average cost increases of around 5% per year over the
forecast horizon. As noted previously, capital expenses were lower than usual in FY 2017 and
FY 2018 as sewer main replacement projects were delayed to enable staff to complete previous
year projects, but regular annual main replacement will resume in FY 2019. However,
underground construction costs for all utilities have increased significantly. This means that the
FY 2019 capital budget for a main replacement project is 30.7% higher than in FY 2016, which
was the most recent "normal" year in the CIP program (a year when an annual sewer main
replacement project was budgeted). This increase in construction costs is a partial contributor
to future year rate increases. After FY 2019, staff expects overall collection system capital costs
to increase on average by 1.3% for FY 2020 through 2028.
The red line in Figure 3 shows revenue levels and the figure shows that there have been several
years where costs exceeded revenues. This trend is projected to continue every year from 2018
through 2021. This will result in a fairly rapid reduction of reserves. Staff projects annual rate
increases of 11% to 12% in the near term, decreasing in later years, are required to keep
reserves from dropping below minimum reserve guidelines. Figure 4 below shows the relative
drop in reserves through FY 2021, which begin to recover starting in FY 2022.
Figure 4: Wastewater Collection Reserves Projections
$20
$18
$16
$14
$12 1
! $10 .,
! $8 ~
$6 1
$4
$2
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February 2018
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D Rate
Stabilization
• Operations
Reserve
• CIP Reserve
and
Commitments
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Table 10: Wastewater Collection Risk Assessment
FY 2019 FY 2020 FY 2021 FY 2022 FY 2023
Tota1Revenue($OOO) 18,988 21,259 23,401 24,840 25,854
Max. Historical Budget-to-Actual variance 4% 4% 4% 4% 4%
Budget-to-Actual Risk ($000) 760 850 936 994 1,034
System Rehabilitation CIP Budget ($000) 6,211 5,505 5,690 5,840 6,015
CIP Contingency @10% ($000} 621 551 569 584 602
Treatment Budget ($000} 10,798 11,846 12,888 13,571 14,005
Treatment Cost Contingency @10% ($000) 1,080 1,185 1,289 1,357 1,401
Total risk assessment value ($000) 2,460 2,585 2,794 2,935 3,036
Projected Operations Reserve Level ($000) 3,461 3,503 3,269 3,373 3,884
SECTION SF: ALTERNATE SCENARIOS
When utilizing a combination of reserves and rate changes, many possible alternatives exist.
Alternative scenario 1 explores a revised set of rate increases that brings reserves below the
minimum guideline level for three years (This 10% proposal was originally brought to the UAC
on March 7, 2018, but the UAC instead voted for the Current Plan of 11%). Table 11 below
shows the rate increases associated with this scenario and Figure 6 show the reserves dropping
below the minimum guideline level.
Table 11: Alternative Scenario 1-Reserves Below Minimum Guideline
FY 2019 FY 2020 FY 2021 FY 2022 FY2023
Current Plan 11% 12% 10% 6% 4%
Alternative 10% 11% 11% 9% 4%
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the other large agency served by the RWQCP (39% of the revenue requirement for FY 2014)
with the smaller agencies (Stanford, Los Altos, East Palo Alto, and Los Altos Hills) making up the
remainder of the flow to the treatment plant.
Based on detailed project cost projections provided by RWQCP staff, treatment costs are likely
to continue to increase by roughly 5% per year through at least 2030. Wastewater Treatment
Fund costs are increasing due to rising salary and benefit costs as well as the attendant
allocated charges for centralized city services needed to support wastewater treatment fund
operations. Additional expenses include increased water and air permitting fees from the
Regional Water Quality Control Board and the Bay Area Air Quality Management District.
Commodity and utility rates to operate the facility are also increasing with the largest increases
in FY 2019 for electrical, water, gas, and storm rates. Chemical expenses, needed to adjust
water quality and meet permit requirements, are also increasing modestly per the latest
chemical market conditions and procurement contract conditions.
Capital projects, parts, and materials are increasing at about 3% per yea·r to keep up with
ongoing replacement of aging equipment. Larger increases to capital expenses are expected to
begin in FY 2020 in the form of new debt service for major projects to implement the Plant's
capital program. The Plant's major project in FY 2018 will be making progress constructing the
Sludge Dewatering and Truck Loadout Facility, which will allow (in about 2019) the retirement
of the Plant's two sewage sludge incinerators that have been in operation since 1972.
SECTION GB: OPERATIONS
Operations costs include the Customer Service, Distribution Operations, Enginee_ring, and
Allocated Charges categories in Appendix A: Wastewater Collection Financial Forecast Detail.
Debt service, rent, and transfers are also included in this category. Customer Service costs are
primarily related to the call center and collections on delinquent accounts. The Distribution
Operations category includes preventative and corrective maintenance on sewer mains and
laterals, investigation of sewer overflows,_ regular cleaning of heavily impacted sections of the
sewer system, and services shared with other utilities (such as street restoration and
equipment maintenance). Allocated Charges include the costs of accounting, purchasing, legal,
and other administrative functions provided by the City's General Fund staff, as well as shared
communications services and Utilities Department administrative overhead and billing system
maintenance costs.
Operations costs are projected to increase by 2.7% pe~ year, on average, over the forecast
period. Underlying these projections are salary and benefit, consumer price index, and other
cost projections used in the City's long-range financial forecast.
SECTION GC: CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM (CIP)
The Wastewater Collection Utility's CIP consists of the following programs:
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• The Sanitary Sewer Replacement/Rehabilitation (SSR) Program, under which the
Wastewater Collection Utility replaces aging sewer mains.
• Customer Connections, which covers the cost when the Wastewater Collection Utility
installs new laterals or upgrades existing laterals at a customer's request in response to
development or redevelopment. CPAU charges a fee to these customers to cover the
cost of these projects.
• Ongoing Projects, which covers the cost of replacing deteriorated manholes and sewer
laterals, as well as the cost of capitalized tools and equipment.
The Sanitary Sewer Replacement and Rehabilitation Program funds the replacement of
deteriorating sewer mains to increase capacity or improve pipe condition in various parts of the
sewer system. The sewer system consists of over 217 miles of mains, and CPAU uses a variety
of tools to establish which sections are in need of replacement. The 2004 Master Plan study
identified wastewater mains with capacity deficiency and they have been corrected in past CIP
projects. For condition assessment, maintenance statistics (such as records of the location and
number of sewer overflows on the system) and videotape of sewer mains from a past video
inspection of sewer main project or during regular cleaning can reveal areas with deteriorating
pipe. CPAU uses a structural rating system to grade the pipe defects. The video-inspection
data and maintenance records are used to plan and prioritize sewer main replacement and
rehabilitation.
Utilities also coordinates with the Public Works street maintenance program to avoid cutting
into newly repaved streets. A major goal of the replacement program is to minimize sewer
overflow and reduce groundwater and rainwater infiltration. As mains deteriorate they begin
to allow roots into the pipe joints to create blockages, permitting groundwater and rainwater to
infiltrate the system. Some level of infiltration is expected on any sewer system, but if there is
too much, the combined flow of wastewater and groundwater/rainwater can overwhelm the
capacity of various parts of the sewer system. Reducing infiltration can reduce the need to
expand the system to accommodate increased flow, as well as reducing unnecessary amounts
of water to be treated at the treatment plant. To achieve this goal, deteriorating mains are
either rehabilitated with a plastic lining or replaced with new HDPE pipe. Staff has been
replacing/rehabilitating the mains as needed according to their condition. In addition,
Wastewater Operations' routine maintenance continues to stay on schedule to minimize sewer
overflows.
Over the last few years, main replacement costs have been increasing for utilities due to
economic activity in the Bay Area causing construction cost inflation. It is likely that this trend
will continue in the short term.
This increase in cost is a partial reason for a one year delay in projects. Staff deferred its FY
2018 replacement project because all Field Inspectors were busy providing inspection services
for one water and two previous wastewater construction projects. Several Engineers were also
focusing on designing, coordinating amongst all departments, and setting up the contract for
the complicated Upgrade Downtown project. However, Utilities Engineering has been
consistently replacing aging sewer mains since the early 90's. The proactive replacement
program keeps the collection system in good condition. Between 1990 and 2017, 67 miles or
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31% of the collection system has been replaced or rehabilitated (the red-colored lines shown in
the attached map in Appendix D: Map (CPA Wastewater Collection System -Sewer Mains
Replaced or Rehabilitated since 1990). This is an average of approximately 13,530 feet (~2.6
miles), or 1.2% of the system, of sewer main being replaced or rehabilitated per year. Given
sewer main expected lifetimes, this is a sustainable replacement rate.
In many cases, annual projects get combined together to save administrative time/cost and to
make the project more attractive for contractors to bid. The most recent Sanitary Sewer
Replacement (SSR) projects SSR 24/25/26 and SSR 27 were substantially completed in April of
2017. Staff is currently working on re-evaluating and re-prioritizing the scope of future projects
based on the structural rating system and available budget. Part of the assessment is to
evaluate whether a slightly reduced replacement rate would jeopardize the integrity of the
system, since large portions of the mains that have not been replaced qr rehabilitated are
located in sub-divisions that were developed between 1950 and 1970.
Customer Connections costs are projected to increase steadily by around 3% each year through
the end of the forecast period. Actual expenses for these projects fluctuate annually depending
on how many defective laterals and manholes are discovered during routine maintenance, as
well as how much development and redevelopment is going on that prompts the replacement
or upgrade of sewer laterals. It is worth noting that property owners pay a fee for sewer lateral
replacement or expansion during redevelopment, so when the number of projects increases, so
does fee revenue.
Table 12 displays projected CIP spending for the 5-year financial forecast period.
Table 12: Projected CIP Spending
Current Spending, Remain
Project Category Budget• Curr. Yr Budget•• Committed FY 2019 FY 2020
Sewer Rehab/Augmentation 2,665 (960) 1,704 1,416 4,800 4,520
On11:oin11: Projects 1,626 (290) 1,336 535 959 985
Customer Connections 458 (136) 321 54 418 431
TOTAL 4,748 (1,386) 3,362 2,005 6,176 5,936
•includes unspent funds from previous years carried forward or reappropriated into the current fiscal year
••Equal to CIP Reserves (Reserve for Reappropriations + Reserve for Commitments).
FY 2021
4,675
1,015
443
6,133
FY 2022 FY 2023
4,796 4,939
1,043 1,073
457 470
6,296 6,483
Aside from Customer Connections, the CIP plan for FY 2019 to FY 2023 is funded by sewer rates
and capacity fees. Appendix B: Wastewater Collection Utility Capital Improvement Program
(CJP) Detail shows the details of the plan.
SECTION 6D: DEBT SERVICE
The Wastewater Collection Utility currently pays its share of one bond issuance, the 1999 Utility
Revenue Bonds, Series A, which is due to be retired in 2024. This $17.7 million issuance
refinanced various earlier Storm Drain, Wastewater Treatment, and Wastewater Collection
Utility bond issuances. The Wastewater Collection Utility's share of the issuance was roughly
$1.9 million. This amount represented the second refinancing of the remaining principal of a
1990 bond issuance, which itself was a refinancing of a 1985 issuance that financed a variety of
improvements to the sewer system. The cost of debt service for the Wastewater Collection
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Utility's share of this bond issuance for the financial forecast period is roughly $128,000 per
year as shown in Table 13 below.
Table 13: Wastewater Collection Utility Debt Service ($000)
FY FY FY FY FY FY
2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
1999 Utility Revenue Bonds, Series A 128 128 129 129 129 0
The 1999 Utility Revenue Bonds include two covenants stating that 1) the Wastewater
Collection Utility will maintain a debt coverage ratio of 125% of debt service, and 2) that the
City will maintain "Available Reserves"8 equal to five times the annual debt service. The current
financial plan maintains compliance with both covenants throughout the forecast period. Table
14, below, shows compliance with the first covenant. Due to the small size of the annual debt
service payment for these bonds, the Wastewater Collection Utility's Operations Reserve alone
more than satisfies the second covenant at more than 30 times annual debt service throughout
the forecast period.
Table 14: Debt Service Coverage Ratio ($000) - -I
FY 2018 FY2019 FY 2020 FY2021 FY 2022 FY 2023 I
Revenues 17,167 18,978 21,249 23,391 24,830 25,844
Expenses (Exel. CIP 14,214 14,320 15,531 16,732 17,560 18,024
and Debt Service)
Net Revenues 2,952 4,658 5,718 6,658 7,270 7,819
Debt Service 128 128 128 129 129 129
Coverage Ratio 2299% 3633% 4477% 5179% 5632% 6049%
The Wastewater Collection Utility's reserves (but not its net revenues) are also considered
security for the Storm Drain and Wastewater Treatment Utilities' shares of the debt service on
the 1999 bonds. Throughout the term of the bonds there remains a small risk that the
Wastewater Collection Utility's reserves could be called upon to make a debt service payment
on behalf of one of those utilities if it cannot meet its debt service obligations. Staff does not
foresee this occurring based on the current financial condition of those utilities. If the
Wastewater Collection Utility's reserves were used this way, any amounts advanced would
have to be repaid by the borrowing utility.
One other bond series is secured by the net revenues (but not the reserves) of the Wastewater
Collection Utility. The 1995 Series A Utility Revenue Bonds issued for the Storm Drain utility
were secured by the net revenues of the City's "Enterprise," which was defined as the City's
water, gas, wastewater, storm drain, and electric utilities, and are senior to the 1999 bonds
referenced above. Debt service payments of roughly $680,000 per year are made on the 1995
Series A bonds by the City's Storm Drain Utility, and staff does not currently foresee any risk of
that utility being unable to make payment.
8 Available Reserves as defined in the 1999 Utility Revenue Bonds included reserves for the Water, Wastewater
Treatment, Wastewater Collection, Refuse, Storm Drain, Electric, and Gas Utilities
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SECTION GE: OTHER REVENUES
The utility has seen substantial increases in connection and capacity fee revenues in recent
years. These fees are imposed to cover the cost of installing new service lines and the
customer's impact on the overall system capacity. These are assumed to continue, albeit
slightly reduced from current levels. Income from interest and transfers in are projected to
remain steady through the forecast horizon.
SECTION 7: COMMUNICATIONS PLAN
The FY 2019 Wastewater Collection Utility communications strategy covers three primary areas:
rates, maintenance and operations, and safety. Communication about wastewater rate
adjustments will highlight the important infrastructure and operations upgrades that are
occurring at the Regional Water Quality Control Plant to improve wastewater collection utility
services. To keep customers apprised of the status and accomplishments of CIP projects, a
network of project web pages are maintained and updated as needed. Traffic is driven to the
website via ads in newspapers and local publications, utility bill inserts, social media and email
newsletters.
An important communications topic for the wastewater utility is avoiding sewer back-ups due
to FOG (fats, oil and grease) and trash being dumped down drains and toilets. Safety topics are
emphasized year-round. Staff continues its outreach goal of educating customers about the
utility's gas-sewer line cross-bore inspection program, including the importance of calling
Utilities prior to clearing sewer lines in the event of a sewer back-up.
Promotional activity about wastewater utility maintenance and safety operations includes use
of bill inserts, ads in local print publications, website pages, email newsletters and social
media. While print materials and website pages feature prominently, CPAU is increasing the
outreach emphasis on more direct communication with customers, including through use of
social media, email newsletters, digital ads and videos, including featuring actual staff who
work in the Wastewater division. Staff is also attending more community safety/emergency
preparation events and neighborhood meetings.
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APPENDICES
Appendix A: Wastewater Collection Financial Forecast Detail
Appendix B: Wastewater Collection Utility Capital Improvement Program (CIP) Detail
Appendix C: Wastewater Collection Utility Reserves Management Practices
Appendix D: Map (CPA Wastewater Collection System -Sewer Mains Replaced or Rehabilitated
since 1990)
Appendix E: Sample of Wastewater Collection Outreach Materials
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APPENDIX A: WASTEWATER COLLECTION FINANCIAL FORECAST DETAIL
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Citv of Palo Alto
Wastewater Collection
11'0001
Actual Actual Actual I Actual Actual !
Fiscal Year 2013 2014 2016 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 i 2024 2026 2026 2027 2028
1 I
2 % CHANGE IN RETAA. RATE 6% 0% O"lo I 9% 9% 0% 11% 12% 10% 6% 4% 4% 4% 4% 3% 1%
3 PROJECTED CHANGE IN RETAL SALES REVENUE 715 - -1 352 1.416 -1 889 2,288 2.135 1409 I 996 1,036 1 077 1,120 874 300
4 ! I
5 RETAIL SALES REVENUE 15,019 14,588 14,658 1 15,648 17,126 17,167 18,978 21,249 23,391 24,830 25,844 ! 26,878 27,953 29,072 29,956 30,280
& CONNECTION AND CAPACITY FEES 1,609 1,703 1,392 794 1,047 906 918 930 943 957 970 i 985 999 1,014 1,030 1,045
7 OTHER I TRANSFERS IN 545 361 753 J 321 355 291 261 324 291 261 324 291 261 324 291 261
a INTEREST (211) 339 315 J 475 (88) 328 287 212 217 153 152 161 164 180 199 210
9 TOTAL SOURCES OF FUNDS 16,963 16,991 17,119 i 17,238 18,441 18,692 20,444 22,715 24,842 26,201 27,290 28,314 29,378 30,590 31,476 31,797
10 ·~·I 11 PURCHASES/CHARGES OF UTLITIES (TllEA.-n 8,314 6,863 8,770 8,391 10,418 10,798 11,846 12,888 13,571 14,005 14,692 15,676 16,083 16,453 16,914
12 ALLOCATED CHARGES ICll'&Of'ERA""" 1,926 2,359 1,062 1,900 1,477 1,612 1,645 1,676 1,711 1,749 1,788 1,823 1,859 1,913 1,950 1,995
CUSTOMER SERVICE 1 133 (324)1 (22) 345 358 371 389 406 421 435 ' 448 461 471 477 489
13 DISTRllUTION OPERATIONS 2,617 2,570 2,646 2,635 2,759 2,859 2,950 3,071 3,188 3,295 3,400 3,494 3,583 3,670 3,724 3,812
ENGINEERING (OPERATINGI 271 310 319 1 347 292 302 311 323 335 346 357 366 376 385 391 400
14 DEBT SERVICE 128 129 51 I 47 43 128 128 128 129 129 129 ---- -
15 RENT 110 217 223 293 300 317 334 337 340 343 347 350 354 357 361 364
.1a OTHER/ TRANSFERS OUT 147 241 108 I 230 320 346 346 346 346 346 346 346 346 346 346 346
17 CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUNDING 4,094 989 3.477 j 4,985 1,332 2,955 6,629 5,936 6,133 6,296 6,486 : 6,681 6,882 7,088 7,302 7,521
ALLOWANCE FOR UNSPENT CAPITAL FUNDS --i ---(400) (400) (400) (400) (515J! (515) (515) (515) (515) (515)
18 TOTAL USES OF FUNDS 17,610 13,811 16,150 i 19,184 15,259 19,296 23,113 23,651 25,076 26,097 26,779 1 27,686 29,021 29,800 30,490 31,327
19 i
20 INTO/ IOUT OF\ RESERVES 16471 3180 969 i 11 9461 3182 16051 12 6691 19361 12351 104 511 i 628 356 790 986 469
! ' 21 I I
24 ENDING COMMITMENTS & REAPPROPRIATIONS 11,228 8,312 8,291 i 11,088 j 1,922 1,922 1,922 1,922 1,922 1,922 J 1,922 1,922 1,922 1,922 1,922 1,922
23 ENDING PLANT REPLACEMENT RESERVE 1,000 --I -I - ----I ------
ENDING CP RESERVE --2,551 i 978 J 978 978 978 ---I ---- --
22 ENDING RATE STABILIZATION RESERVE 4,104 4,556 4,292 i 342 I 342 342 ---
3,;73 1
-----
ENDING OPERATIONS RESERVE -3,728 2,431 i 3,211 I 6,393 5,788 3,461 3,503 3,269 3,884 4,512 4,868 5,658 6,644 7,113
25 UNASSIGNED RESERVES -- -I -I ----- -I --- ---I
1,814 1 2,935 1
I I 211 RISK ASSESSMENT VALUE 2,736 2,230 2,722 ! 1,618 1,984 2,460 2,585 2,794 3,036 3,164 3,324 3,429 3,521 3,601
27 I I I
28 OPERATIONS RESERVE GUIDELINES i I I i I 3.321 I 29 MIN (&O DAYS TREATMENT/O&M EXPI 2,253 1,915 2,083 ! 2,224 1 2,305 2,686 2,775 2,978 3,180 3,421 : 3,538 3,724 3,818 3,896 3,998 I
TARGET (105 DAYS TREATMENT/O&M EXPI 1,831 3,352 3,646 i 3,891 I 4,034 4,701 4,857 5,211 5,565 5,011 I 5,986 6,191 6,517 6,681 6,819 6,996
30 MAX f150 DAYS TREATMENT/O&M EXPI 4,506 4,788 5,208 ! 5,559 1 5,762 6,715 6,939 7,445 7,949 0,301 I 8,551 : 8,844 9,310 9,545 9,741 9,995
31 I I :
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APPENDIX C: WASTEWATER COLLECTION UTILITY RESERVES
MANAGEMENT PRACTICES
The following reserves management practices shall be used when developing the Wastewater
Collection Utility Financial Plan:
Section 1. Definitions
a) "Financial Planning Period" -The Financial Planning Period is the range of future fiscal
years covered by the Financial Plan. For example, if the Financial Plan delivered in
conjunction with the FY 2015 budget includes projections for FY 2015 to FY 2019, FY
·2015 to FY 2019 would be the Financial Planning Period.
b) "Fund Balance" -As used in these Reserves Management Practices, Fund Balance refers
to the Utility's Unrestricted Net Assets.
c) "Net Assets" -The Government Accounting Standards Board defines a Utility's Net
Assets as the difference between its assets and liabilities.
d) "Unrestricted Net Assets" -The portion of the Utility's Net Assets not invested in capital
assets (net of related debt) or restricted for debt service or other restricted purposes.
Section 2. Reserves
The Wastewater Collection Utility's Fund Balance is reserved for the following purposes:
a) For existing contracts, as described in Section 3 (Reserve for Commitments)
b) For operating and capital budgets re-appropriated from previous years, as described in
Section 4 (Reserve for Re-appropriations)
c) For cash flow management and contingencies related to the Wastewater Collection
Utility's Capital Improvement Program (CIP), as described in Section 5 (CIP Reserve)
d) For rate stabilization, as described in Section 6 (Rate Stabilization Reserve)
e) For operating contingencies, as described in Section 7 (Operations Reserve)
f) Any funds not included in the other reserves will be considered Unassigned Reserves
and shall be returned to ratepayers or assigned a specific purpose as described in
Section 8 (Unassigned Reserves).
Section 3. Reserve for Commitments
At the end of each fiscal year the Reserve for Commitments will be set to an amount equal
to the total remaining spending authority for all contracts in force for the Wastewater
Collection Utility at that time.
Section 4. Reserve for Re-appropriations
At the end of each fiscal year the Reserve for Re-appropriations will be set to an amount
equal to the amount of all remaining capital and non-capital budgets, if any, that will be re-
appropriated to the following fiscal year in accordance with Palo Alto Municipal Code
Section 2.28.090.
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Section 5. CIP Reserve
The CIP Reserve is used to manage cash flow for capital projects and acts as a reserve for
capital contingencies. Staff will manage the CIP Reserve according to the following
practices:
a) The following guideline levels are set forth for the CIP Reserve. These guideline levels
are calculated for each fiscal year of the Financial Planning Period based on the levels of
CIP expense budgeted for that year.
Minimum level 12 months of budgeted CIP expense
Maximum Level 24 months of budgeted CIP expense
b) Changes in Reserves: Staff is authorized to transfer funds between the CIP Reserve and
the Reserve for Commitments when funds are added or removed from to that reserve
as a result of a change in contractual commitments related to CIP projects. Any other
additions to or withdrawals from the CIP reserve require Council action.
c) Minimum Level:
i) Funds held in the Reserve for Commitments may be counted as part of the CIP
Reserve for the purpose of determining compliance with the CIP Reserve minimum
guideline level.
ii) If, at the end of any fiscal year, the minimum guideline is not met, staff shall present
a plan to the City Council to replenish the reserve. The plan shall be delivered by the
end of the following fiscal year, and shall, at a minimum, result in the reserve
reaching its minimum level by the end of the next fiscal year. For example, if the CIP
Reserve is below its minimum level at the end of FY 2017, staff must present a plan
by June 30, 2018 to return the reserve to its minimum level by June 30, 2019. In
addition, staff may present, and the Council may adopt, an alternative plan that
takes longer than one year to replenish the reserve, or that does so in a shorter
period of time.
d) Maximum level: If, at any time, the CIP Reserve reaches its maximum level, no funds
may be added to this reserve. If there are funds in this reserve in excess of the
maximum level staff must propose to transfer these funds to another reserve or return
them to ratepayers in the next Financial Plan. Staff may also seek City Council to
approve holding funds in this reserve in excess of the maximum level if they are held for
a specific future purpose related to the CIP.
Section 6. Rate Stabilization Reserve
Funds may be added to the Rate Stabilization Reserve by action of the City Council and held
to manage the trajectory of future year rate increases. Withdrawal of funds from the Rate
Stabilization Reserve requires Council action. If there are funds in the Rate Stabilization
Reserve at the end of any fiscal year, any subsequent Wastewater Collection Utility
Financial Plan must result in the withdrawal of all funds from this Reserve by the end of the
Financial Planning Period.
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Section 7. Operations Reserve
The Operations Reserve is used to ma·nage normal variations in costs and as a reserve for
contingencies. Any portion of the Wastewater Collection Utility's Fund Balance not
included in the reserves described in Section 3-Section 6 above will be included in the
Operations Reserve unless this reserve has reached its maximum level as set forth in Section
7(d) below. Staff will manage the Operations Reserve according to the following practices:
a) The following guideline levels are set forth for the Operations Reserve. These guideline
levels are calculated for each fiscal year of the Financial Planning Period based on the
levels of Operations and Maintenance (O&M) and commodity expense forecasted for
that year in the Financial Plan.
Minimum Level 60 days of O&M and commodity expense
Target Level 105 days of O&M and commodity expense
Maximum Level 150 days of O&M and commodity expense
b) Minimum Level: If, at the end of any fiscal year, the funds remaining in the Operations
Reserve are lower than the minimum level set forth above, staff shall present a plan to
the City Council to replenish the reserve. The plan shall be delivered within six months
of the end of the fiscal year, and shall, at a minimum, result in the reserve reaching its
minimum level by the end of the following fiscal year. For example, if the Operations
Reserve is below its minimum level at the end of FY 2014, staff must present a plan by
December 31, 2014 to return the reserve to its minimum level by June 30, 2015. In
addition, staff may present, and the Council may adopt, an alternative plan that takes
longer than one year to replenish the reserve.
c) Target Level: If, at the end of any fiscal year, the Operations Reserve is higher or lower
than the target level, any Financial Plan created for the Wastewater Collection Utility
shall be designed to return the Operations Reserve to its target level within four years.
d) Maximum Level: If, at any time, the Operations Reserve reaches its maximum level, no
funds may be added to this reserve. Any further increase in the Wastewater Collection
Utility's Fund Balance shall be automatically included in the Unassigned Reserve
described in Section 8, below.
Section 8. Unassigned Reserve
If the Operations Reserve reaches its maximum level, any further additions to the
Wastewater Collection Utility's Fund Balance will be held in the Unassigned Reserve. If
there are any funds in the Unassigned Reserve at the end of any fiscal year, the next
Financial Plan presented to the City Council must include a plan to assign .them to a specific
purpose or return them to the Wastewater Collection Utility ratepayers by the end of the
first fiscal year of the next Financial Planning Period. For example, if there were funds in the
Unassigned Reserves at the end of FY 2015, and the next Financial Planning Period is
FY 2016 through FY 2020, the Financial Plan shall include a plan to return or assign any
funds in the Unassigned Reserve by the end of FY 2016. Staff may present an alternative
plan that retains these funds or returns them over a longer period of time.
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